help with childcare dilemma

Nicki

rammster wrote: »

Sorry Nicki, I am now back on my laptop. I was trying to type a post on my mobile device and as you can see the t9 text input is pretty bad (on the new galaxy s2) . I have now edited my post (albeit not fully) on my home laptop after giving up on the smartphone !!

Nanny would be a good idea, how do I go about doing that ? Is there a website / should I look at local forums etc. What about issues such as home security etc. One would think that all nannies would be CRB checked and regulated ?

Could you point me to an appropriate website ?

I don't know where you live, so no! But if you google, you should be able to find an agency which supplies nannies in your area. The extra advantage of that would be that the nanny will be CRB checked which you can't do as a private individual. You can choose whether or not to have an Ofsted registered one.

As for home security, the agency will send you candidates and references and you interview them and check the references as you wish. I would hope you wouldn't leave your child with anyone if you felt they weren't to be trusted in your home

You can employ a nanny for as many hours as you want. Some are looking for full time hours but there is a pool of people, eg students or older people, who want to work less hours and can be flexible. My last two nannies have worked 2-3 hours per day in school term for me and longer in school holidays with the times they work differing from week to week.

A nanny share is where the nanny works part of the week for you and part of the week for another family, or sometimes looks after your child and another family's child simultaneously and you split the costs. It is a bit more complicated to sort out though as only one family can claim her tax free allowance, so there needs to be negotiation as to who pays what to take that into account and you also need to coordinate holidays etc.

Nicki

FBaby wrote: »

It was vey clear to me reading it quickly first time... don't see the point of this judgemental statement.

The first post was virtually in ASCII :rotfl: Now that its been amended it is much clearer. Predictive text, you've gotta love it.

And now that it has been cleaned up, I can see that OP needs childcare usually between 5.00 and 9.00 ish taking into account commuting time. That wasn't easy to pick out from the initial garbled version, but makes life a lot easier, as there will be more nannies around who want to work part time and to do those hours. You need to look for a nanny agency which also has a babysitting service and arrange a regular nanny who wants evening hours. You are likely to get a student, or even a teacher or teaching assistant who is supplementing their income, or a qualified nanny who works for a teacher, and they will be less reliant on set hours per week. Good luck

Darlyd

Where do you live OP ? In my area (Leicester) there is a company called crossroads who have babysitters/elderlysitters/disabled sitters all CRB checked, a friend of mine has just started with them.

DizzyDizzy

Try asking at the nursery if any of their staff do babysitting or can recommend someone? One of the nursery staff at my daughters nursery also does evening babysitting to suppliment her income and she is fully trained and CRB checked etc.

Mojisola

darlyd wrote: »

Where do you live OP ? In my area (Leicester) there is a company called crossroads who have babysitters/elderlysitters/disabled sitters all CRB checked, a friend of mine has just started with them.

Is this the Crossroads charity? If so, its aim is to give respite to carers. Our local one doesn't take on private work like childminding.

rammster

I live in North Swindon in Wiltshire, the area I live in is called Oakhurst, which is a new development of houses. Would be keen for your view on whats new in the Wiltshire area, nearby agencies etc. Please update me regarding some local info if possible. Also if someone can also help with helpful websites that may assist in my search.

I am very grateful for all your responses ! (and your help of course)

pimento

I don't know, but I've got this pain in my leg.....

neverdespairgirl

rammster wrote: »

forgive my ignorance, what is a nanny share ? would that mean that nanny would be shared between two children so it may halve costs ?? I am afraid as I am in a new area, I have no such arrangements .

You don't necessarily need to know someone yourself. Nanny agencies sometimes deal with nanny shares.

If you get a nanny through an agency (as we did ours) they do the CRB check and chase references etc for you.

Darlyd

rammster wrote: »

I live in North Swindon in Wiltshire, the area I live in is called Oakhurst, which is a new development of houses. Would be keen for your view on whats new in the Wiltshire area, nearby agencies etc. Please update me regarding some local info if possible. Also if someone can also help with helpful websites that may assist in my search.

I am very grateful for all your responses ! (and your help of course)

Wow small world, my best friend lives down there, I will give her a ring and asks what she knows..

ali-t

rammster wrote: »

I live in North Swindon in Wiltshire, the area I live in is called Oakhurst, which is a new development of houses. Would be keen for your view on whats new in the Wiltshire area, nearby agencies etc. Please update me regarding some local info if possible. Also if someone can also help with helpful websites that may assist in my search.

I am very grateful for all your responses ! (and your help of course)

If you contact your local council at the Education department they will hold a list of all childminders in the area that are approved by the council. In my area they have a spreadsheet that details names, areas they work, spaces available, times they work etc. There are lots that work after 6pm in my area and many that start at 7am.